The document discusses public art and popular art in Douala, Cameroon. It analyzes two case studies: (1) The "Passerelle de Bessengue" bridge artwork that improved the neglected Bessengue neighborhood, and (2) the TV series "Balade dans la cité" that raises awareness of social issues through comedy. Both forms of art engage local communities, portray reality while pursuing social change, and provide spaces for reflection on improving people's lives in Douala.

1. ADRESSING
THE
PUBLIC
Art and safety in Douala
CECAST Conference
Kumasi, Ghana
22 October 2013
Marta Pucciarelli – USI Lugano (Switzerland)
Giovanna Santanera - Università di Milano Bicocca (Italy) – EHESS, Paris (France)

2. LIVING IN DOUALA…
“You need to know how to live in Douala. You need to be wise. You
shouldn't go out during the night, because bad things happen...
Briefly, you must be smart. Douala is really the city of the right and
the evil. If you are smart, you get by. But if you aren't you are hit
every moment. You need to be cunning. Most of the good things
are in Douala. People come from everywhere. There is no
discipline in Douala. People who are ready to hurt are especially in
Douala. If there is something good, it's in Douala. If you get by in
Douala, you can get by everywhere. Even in Europe. Douala has
everything: the right and the evil.”
Julienne Sameu (actress)

3. THE PURPOSE OF
OUR DISCUSSION
To illustrate how the art practice intersects this complex and
ambiguous environment, with particular reference to problems of
safety and security.
Two case studies:
1)The “Passerelle de Bessengue” (Alioum Moussa, 2003)
2)“Balade dans la cité” (dir. Aime Waffo Kamga, 2006 - today)

4. PUBLIC ART
Proximity artworks
Monuments
Passageways artworks

5. PUBLIC ART
Proximity artworks
La Passerelle de
Bessengue
•Produced by doual’art
•Community-based
projects
•SUD- Salon Urbain de
Douala

6. POPULAR ART
TV Series
Balade dans la cité
•Produced by Equinoxe (20062011) and WAK Africa pictures
(2011- today)
•Made by “Les Grands
Compagnons de Douala”
•Broadcasted by Equinoxe
Télévision

7. WHY POPULAR?
• No “popular” versus “intellectual”
• It “speaks” people’s pressing concerns
• It is produced, enjoyed, and discussed by inhabitants of Douala

8. PUBLIC AND POPULAR:
WHAT IS IN COMMON?
• Produced by local artists
• Out of museum, out of the studios – the street is the stage
• Engaged with the society aiming for improvement
• Portraying the reality with fundamental aesthetical
concerns

9. BALADE DANS LA
CITE’

10. A “PROXIMITY
CINEMA”
“I'm not a big fan of the fictional cinema;
I'm rather a fan of a kind of cinema that
helps people to make progresses; of a
cinema allowing people mirror themselves;
of a cinema that arises social problems; of
a cinema in which anyone can learn a
concrete lesson. Basically a proximity
cinema”

11. SCREENING PROBLEMS
AND DANGERS
• The narrative device: Makalapati cycles around telling what
he sees;
• From traditional communication channels (newspaper, radio,
gossip, etc.) to comical television series.

12. ASPIRATIONS
1- Information and
prevention about dangers
and social problems
2- Changing wrong doers'
mindset

13. ASPIRATIONS
3- Offering an aesthetic facet to the city

14. LA PASSERELLE DE
BESSENGUE
Someone has thought of us, the forgotten of Douala, the development also concerns us

15. IMPACTS
1) Acceleration of development activities:
Creation of a Development Community
Attraction of International monetary funds (World Bank)
2) Social cohesion and responsibility


Bessengue entrance (2003)
Bessengue entrance (2012)

16. IMPACTS
2) Conviviality space
Meeting place
Safe landmark



17. IMPACTS
4) Increasing and improving commercial activities
Façade of the hairdresser - before
Façade of the hairdresser - after

18. CONCLUSION
PUBLIC ART AND POPULAR ART
Two different aesthetical forms
Both of them encourage the audience to reflect
upon the gap between what reality is and what it
should be, making efforts to bridge the gap.

19. THANK YOU!
GIOVANNA SANTANERA
giovannasantanera@yahoo.it
Università di Milano – BICOCCA (IT)
EHESS – Paris (FR)
MARTA PUCCIARELLI
pucciarelli.marta@gmail.com
New Media in Education Lab
Università della Svizzera italiana (CH)